Library: PSY 101 (Sztapka): Welcome/Experiments

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Databases to Search

To find articles about psychological experiments, search the following databases:

APA PsycARTICLES This link opens in a new window This esteemed collection from American Psychological Association (APA) provides access to the full spectrum of study in the field — including cutting-edge research from preeminent scholars, to the historical underpinnings of the behavioral and social sciences.
Psychology & Behavioral Science Collection This link opens in a new window This database is an essential resource for psychologists, counselors, researchers and students. It provides hundreds of full-text psychology journals, including many indexed in APA PsycInfo. It offers particularly strong coverage in child and adolescent psychology and counseling.
Psychology (Gale OneFile) This link opens in a new window Provides access to authoritative periodical content supporting research in all fields of psychology— abnormal, biological, cognitive, comparative, developmental, personality, quantitative, social and all areas of applied psychology. Researchers, psychologists, counselors, and behavioral scientists will discover relevant information from the thoughts, views, discoveries, and reports found in this comprehensive collection.

One Search (Advanced Search Options) Searches multiple databases at once

Researching Psychological Experiments

To find psychology experiments, search within the library's databases.

What is a library database?

A library database is a collection of different sources such as magazine, newspaper, and journal articles, ebooks, streaming videos, and images. You can find all these sources by searching with keywords. If you are off campus, you will be prompted to login to the databases with your MEID and password.

Search Tips - Searching by Author Name

Before you search the databases for a specific experiment, it is a good idea to become familiar with some well known experimental psychologists. Read this article from the The Gale Encyclopedia of Psychology to learn about some experimental psychologists. Now you can search using the psychologist's name to find works that they have authored.

Select a database and choose the Advanced Search option.
Use the dropdown menu next to the search box to choose Author.
Type the pyschologist's name in the search box and use quotes.
1. Search Example: "Stanley Milgram"

Search Tips - Searching by Keyword

To search for a experiments on a specific topic, you will again want to use the Advanced Search option in the database. However, each database has different advanced search options. For example, take a look at the options in PsychArticles and Psychology & Behavioral Sciences. There are many more options available in PsychArticles which can help you to obtain very specific search results. In PsychArticles, look at the options under Methodology. You can choose to search for Interviews, Case Studies, or Twin Studies, etc. Other advanced search options include selecting a population group or an age group of subjects.

Select a database (Start with PsychArticles) and choose the Advanced Search Option.
Identify keywords related to the topic of the experiment you would like to find.
1. Search Example: "decision making"
2. Search Example: "short-term memory"
Select options such as methodology or population. Selecting too many options may limit the number of results.
Be sure to also select Full Text.
If you are searching in a database that does not offer the methodology and related options, search using keywords.
1. Search Example: "decision making" AND experiment
2. Search Example: "decision making" AND "case study"